The Mindy Project cast ostensibly gathered onstage for a PaleyFest panel at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills on Friday night to talk about the first season of their delightful Fox comedy. But in addition to talk of casting, writing, and running the show, a good chunk of time was simply dedicated to making fun of Chris Messina, complimenting Chris Messina, hitting on Chris Messina and impersonating Chris Messina. In short, it was hilarious.
Messina was a man of few words, mostly ceding stage time to his chattier castmates (so they could tell stories about him and perfect their New York-y impressions of him). Since that doesn't really translate to print, you can take our word that everyone on the cast has a Messina impression — all with varying degrees of accuracy.
Aside from poking fun at arguably the most lovable cast member, Mindy Kaling, Ike Barinholtz, Ed Weeks and the rest of the main cast did manage to share some juicy tidbits of information. Here's what else we learned from the panel:
On leaving The Office:It was "so hard" to exit the show Kaling had worked hard on, but her own show was too good an opportunity to pass up, Kaling says. But leaving such a tight-knit group of people has its perks: "I knew all of them so well, which is why they come on the show," she says. Expect to see more Dunder Mifflin-ites pop up throughout the show's run, along with the ones we've seen already. B.J. Novak will be back for at least one more episode in Season 1, Kaling confirmed.
On the magic of Mark Duplass:Duplass will be back for at least two more episodes. In addition to the next new episode (which was screened before the panel), Duplass just shot an episode in which he gets intimate with Messina. It's an indie-movie-lover's dream: Messina in a Speedo and Duplass in a singlet wrestling on the beach together. "They're submitting it to Sundance," Barinholtz joked. Speaking of Mindy's exes, Tommy Dewey will return for more episodes too.
On Weeks' British charm:The role of Jeremy Reed was originally envisioned as a "Bradley Cooper type," Weeks says. But after practicing the audition pages in his American accent, his roommate encouraged him to go with his native accent instead. Clearly it worked out, though Kaling jokes she was so mesmerized by Weeks' looks that she invited him to her house for a late night casting couch session and that's how he got the role.
On Nurse Beverly:Now that Beth Grant has re-joined the cast full time, we'll learn more about the curmudgeonly character. She's had many different boyfriends of varying ethnic backgrounds, Grant says. At one point, she was engaged to the recently convicted Drew Peterson, Kaling and Barinholtz joke.
On Danny and Mindy's chemistry: The writers' room is very divided between wanting Mindy and Danny to get together and wanting to watch their friendship blossom some more, Barinholtz says. Obviously no one would hint at which way it goes, but they did note that the Season 2 pickup didn't change how they're writing the rest of the season.
As for her non-Mindy-related projects, Kaling confirmed that she'd just read the script for the finale of The Office, which she's shooting in a few days, and that she plans to spend her summer hiatus writing another book.
Follow Jean on Twitter @hijean
[PHOTO CREDIT: Kevin Parry/AP Photo]
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Alert the media: cool girls are having a moment! But having a moment doesn't come without some controversy of its own: in fact, America's rabid friend-crush on Jennifer Lawrence has gained a bit of competition from Mila Kunis.
The Oz The Great and Powerful star reminded us not to count her out of the game, because she, too, is a normal, awesome, funny, charming human being. We already knew this about Kunis, but the star reaffirmed our thoughts — and momentarily stole the spotlight back from Lawrence — with her recent interview with Chris Stark of BBC Radio One's Scott Mills Radio Show (see video below). She agreed to go to a Watford Football Club game with Stark and his lads: the colorfully-named Sir Dosser, The Convict, and Chango the Beast (who were going to be infinitely jealous of all the Lad Points he accumulated from his Kunis time. Probably while necking a pint or drinking Jägerbombs and lad bombs). There was talk of Nando's, Dickos, trou dropping, meat pies, and Baywatch. It was both endearing and hilarious — and made all the more awesome by Kunis' candor.
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The battle for America's Number One Best Friend has been raging slowly below the surface of our adoration of these two ladies, but today it bubbled over the edge and out into the open. How, oh how, can we pick just one to be America's Best Friend? Especially when Kunis and Lawrence are both so awesome? Is it possible to choose just one when they both give cool such a good name? We decided to break it down, battle royale style, and determine, once and for all, who deserves to be America's Ultimate Cool Girl Best Friend Forever. It's a hard job, but somebody's gotta do it.
So what makes Kunis and Lawrence so cool? Well...
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They Defend Their Friends Awesomely
Mila Kunis: At a Russian press event in support of her film Friends With Benefits, Kunis laid down the law — in Russian! — to defend her co-star Justin Timberlake's choice to do movies rather than just music.
See? Awesome. And totally a Best Friend move. On a scale of 1 - 10, Kunis gets 10 BFF Points.
Jennifer Lawrence: When your friend and Silver Linings Playbook costar is Bradley Cooper, a man recently single, you do him a solid and set him up with your friends!
No question: Lawrence gets 10 BFF Points — because this benefits both Cooper AND her girlfriends who are probably forever grateful for the opportunity to be considered a potential mouth partner for People Magazine's 2011 Sexiest Man Alive.
They Star in Dior Ads Awesomely
Mila Kunis:
Chic, black &amp; white, and timeless? 10 BFF Points.
Jennifer Lawrence: (behind-the-scenes)
Chic, black &amp; white, and timeless, again? Yep, that'll be another 10 BFF Points.
They Handle The Unexpected Awesomely
Mila Kunis: Press days can be insanely monotonous and boring. Stars are forced to answer many of the same questions over and over again, for hours on end. So, naturally, Mila jumped at the chance to chat up Chris Stark about his own life — and still managed (as you'll see at the 4:50 mark) to do her job and publicize the movie.
Obviously, 10 BFF Points.
Jennifer Lawrence: Jack Nicholson shows up in the middle of a post-Oscar interview. Hilarity ensues.
No question, 10 BFF Points.
They Handle Embarrassment Awesomely
Mila Kunis: When talking about her boyfriend Ashton Kutcher on Ellen, Kunis found herself a bit flustered and shy.
"Give or take a couple minutes!" Being nervous makes her eyes tear up? C'mon! 10 BFF Points.
Jennifer Falling at Oscars: Every star's worst nightmare came true for Lawrence when she made her way to the stage to accept her trophy.
No caption necessary: 10 BFF Points.
RELATED: Jennifer Lawrence Was Hilarious at Oscar Press Conference
THE GRAND TOTAL:
Jennifer Lawrence: 40 BFF Points
Mila Kunis: 40 BFF Points
It's a dead heat!
Man, making decisions is hard. Who could possibly come out on top in this battle? Can there really, truly be only one Best Friend Forever for America? How are we supposed to choose? Life is hard enough without having to make such a decision. Oh, the humanity! Perhaps in a time like this, it's best to remember the wise words of Mindy Kaling when talking about the concept of Best Friend: "Best Friend isn't a person, it's a tier." And it is with hearty agreement we say: Mila and Jennifer, you are the Best Friends of America!
Follow Alicia on Twitter @alicialutes
[Photo Credit: Hollywood.com Illustration]
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Chris Cooper has just joined Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man 2. He will play the character of Norman Osborn, adding to the already lengthy list of villains, THR reports.
Osborn is the alter ego of Green Goblin – who was played by Willem Dafoe in the original Spider-Man movies franchise – though it is unclear whether Cooper will portray that evolution into a villain in this film or in an upcoming sequel. Osborn starts out as a mentor to Spider-Man before turning bad. But even without Osborn as Green Goblin, there are already two other villains confirmed for The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Jamie Foxx as Electro and Paul Giamatti as The Rhino.
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Along with Foxx and Giamatti, Cooper joins Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone as they reprise their roles as Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy, along with newcomers Shailene Woodley as Mary Jane Parker, Dane DeHaan as Norman's son Harry Osborn, and Felicity Jones, though her character has not yet been revealed. The speculation on who Jones will be playing is Felicia Hardy, and possibly Hardy's alter ego, The Black Cat.
In the sequel, Peter Parker's life is busy – between taking out the bad guys as Spider-Man and spending time with the person he loves, Gwen, high school graduation can’t come quickly enough. Peter hasn't forgotten about the promise he made to Gwen’s father to protect her by staying away – but that's a promise he just can't keep. Things will change for Peter when a new villain, Electro, emerges, an old friend, Harry Osborn, returns, and Peter uncovers new clues about his past.
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Webb will return to direct, with Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach producing. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is set to hit theaters in 3D on May 2, 2014.
Follow Sydney on Twitter: @SydneyBucksbaum
[Photo Credit: Wenn]
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On paper, no entertainer working today fit the Oscar host bill quite like Seth MacFarlane: He's the mastermind behind Family Guy, the animated sitcom that's hooked millions of young audience members; he's successfully ventured into films with his mega-hit, R-rated comedy Ted; and he's a performer at heart — one who can rattle off-topic, risqué jokes while paying homage to the Golden Age of Hollywood. (Did we mention he cut a big band crooner album in 2011?) MacFarlane is a natural born showman who has never been given a stage.
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So it makes sense that producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron would hand over Oscar duties to a Renaissance man like MacFarlane. Going into the 84th Academy Awards, it was clear that the Broadway-inclined Zadan and Meron wanted a show that felt like a show. There were dance numbers planned, hints of a musical extravaganzas, and the promise of a full-fledged song-and-dance man in the leading role. The duo knew that by hiring MacFarlane, they would have a host who would pull out all the stops. Even if you don't enjoy his humor, MacFarlane isn't the type to phone it in.
But was "pulling out all the stops" what the Oscars needed?
Well, it certainly helped. MacFarlane took the stage like hosts of years past, ready to lay down one-liners and roast the Oscars' nominees. He started off with just enough inside baseball to land a joke that played to the in-house audience and the one billion people watching at home. "Quest to make Tommy Lee Jones laugh begins now." And he succeeded! The cranky Lincoln costar cracked a smile and got a huge laugh from the theatre. A good star for MacFarlane.
MacFarlane's zinger-filled intro only got better. From a jab at the Academy for snubbing Ben Affleck to a "remember that guy?" nod to 2012's Best Actor winner Jean Dujardin, MacFarlane kept the jokes coming and straight down the middle — fears of racy humor quickly dissipated. MacFarlane's biggest issue was contending with the assault of humor flooding the web via Twitter. His Daniel Day-Lewis/method acting joke about cell phones felt... old. Blame it on the comedians who can react in real time on everyone's favorite social media tool. But MacFarlane was always ready to shake any flops away — name-dropping Rihanna and Chris Brown quickly sent the room into a fit of laughter. Mission accomplished.
A few minutes into MacFarlane's bit, the most MacFarlane-y moment occurred: William Shatner interrupted the monologue in character as Captain Kirk, with a message from the future. Apparently, MacFarlane's planned opening flops with the critics. So everything he's about to do, he has to scrap. Kirk has taped evidence. The show cuts to MacFarlane in an extravagant musical number. "We Saw Your Boobs" runs down all the actresses in the audience who have revealed it all on camera. This is the MacFarlane R-rated humor we were all anticipating.
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It ends up working quite well. With a pre-recorded segment, MacFarlane worked the women of the Oscars into his bit — Jennifer Lawrence cheering when MacFarlane announces that she's never bared her breasts in a movie might be the high point of the evening — and integrated his signature style. The "time travel" element may have been incredibly geeky (and really, MacFarlane needed a way to inject a dose of nostalgic pop culture into the mix), but it gave him the ability to jump between raunchy comedy and pure classy musical numbers. Tapping into his love for the old school, MacFarlane balanced his ridiculous song and dance with a number of Channing Tatum and Charlize Theron ballroom dancing and a trio musical number between MacFarlane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Daniel Radcliffe.
Everyone won with this year's opening. Hollywood fans saw major stars strut their stuff under MacFarlane's swinging vocals, and fans of Family Guy saw their patron work his magic in bits like the sock puppet remake of Flight or the random Sally Field/Flying Nun backstage sketch. The funniest opening in Oscar history? Far from it, but MacFarlane clearly has an understanding of what an Oscar host needs to accomplish in an intro and a respect for the art of pulling it off. His act wasn't terribly far off from Academy Award go to Bob Hope — it was a straight down the middle performance that simultaneously mocked Hollywood and embraced it. MacFarlane has the musician's edge too. The producers didn't have to force him into a dance number. He wrote them in himself.
MacFarlane may take heat for not playing it as risky as he could. But it only works out for him in the end: on Oscar night, he delivered the kind of opening that gets a host invited back.
&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/6919137/"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;What Did You Think of Seth MacFarlane's Oscar Opening?&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;
[Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images]
Follow Matt Patches on Twitter @misterpatches
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Oscars 2013 Special Coverage
Oscars 2013 Red Carpet Arrivals: PICS!
• Anne Hathaway: Oscar’s Worst Dressed?• 15 Oscar-Winning Nude Scenes• The Worst Best Picture Winner Ever• Oscar's Problem With Pretty Boys• Why Stars Should Fear Seth MacFarlane• Oscars 2013: The Full Winners List• The Winner, According to You

Each week, Hollywood gives us something to whine about, and the week of Feb. 18 was no different. We could make a drinking game out of this week, but that would be too dangerous. Instead, we'll stick to the usual formula: varying levels of alcoholic respite depending on how bothersome the week's issues are. Is your biggest complaint this week a flimsy one? How about a light cocktail to take the edge off? Got a real bone to pick with a celeb or entertainment entity this week? Go ahead, grab a drink that'll put hair on your chest. Here are the week's entertainment stories that are forcing us to seek a bubbly or boozy refuge. And maybe an idea or two about how you should wash them down.
Settle Down With a Tall, Frosty Beer
-Catfish, How Could You?!: America's new favorite reality show turns out to be a little short on the reality side of things.
-Seth MacFarlane, Don't Be a Family Guy Character at the Oscars, Please: Because if you do, you're going to be hearing lots of crickets and seeing lots of grumpy cat impressions in the audience.
-Poor NBC Just Can't Catch a Break: Some of us still hold out hope, but it appears we'll never again see the era of Must See TV return to us.
-We're Feeling Pretty Guilty About How Much We Want to Watch the Rihanna/Chris Brown Law and Order Episode: But that hasn't stopped us from setting our DVRs.
-Destiny's Child Reality Show? Yay! About Michelle Williams... Only. Damnit.: Seriously, who thought this was a good idea?
-Fox May Be Hurting New Girl: Moving the lovely little sitcom could spell disaster for the already shrinking ratings.
That's It. Guzzle a Whiskey and Coke, Hold the Coke.
-Lena Dunham Now Has to Apologize for Things She Didn't Do: This is some bulls**t.
-Meanwhile, Julia Louis-Dreyfus is Doing Things She Most Definitely Should Apoligize For: Like this body-shaming commericial she made in Isreal.
-LeAnn Rimes Gets to Make Totally Amoral Decisions And Receive Zero Negative Consequences: How is this living situation fair?
-Shia LeBeouf Can't Even Apologize Without Plagiarizing: Yet his clothes are probably more expensive than my laptop.
-Michael Bay Picked a Bombshell to Play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Feminist Hero: We'll give it a shot, but it's making us a little worried.
-What the Hell, American Idol?: The men this year are so awful, I'm still angry three days later. But hey, at least the show is back to inspiring some sort of emotion, right?
-Pretty Guys Can't Win Oscars: At least that's what history has taught us. We'll just have to love Ryan Gosling that much more to make up for it.
-Apparently, Obsessing Over Oscar Pistorious' Alleged Crimes Aren't Enough: We need to see it in documentary form too.
-Some Boneheads in England Thought It'd Be Fun to Tell Us Who They Don't Want to Bone: Thus ensuring their spot on womankind's similar list of jerks who'll never get laid.
Follow Kelsea on Twitter @KelseaStahler
[Photo Credit: Jamie Cary/MTV]
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ABC Wants Moore, More, More: ABC is giving Mandy Moore another shot at TV stardom. The network didn't pick up the actress's 2012 comedy pilot, but obviously ABC execs are fans of her work, considering they've cast her as one of the leads in their new show, Pulling. Based on the British series of the same name, Pulling follows three thirtysomething women struggling with dating at an age where they're supposed to have their lives figured out. Moore will play Louise, a woman hyper-focused on finding a husband who often comes on a little too strong. In other ABC casting news, the network has added its The River star Eloise Mumford to its drama pilot Reckless. [Deadline]
Mix it Up: ABC's comedy Mixology, which takes place in a bar over the course of one night, has added three new cast members to the mix. Adam Campbell, Craig Frank, and Glee gal Vanessa Lengies will play three singles looking for love. Campbell is a tech dude in debt after his startup failed, Frank is a dim-witted hottie, and Lengies is a peppy personal trainer who waitresses at night. [Deadline]
Is Deception Done?: Stick a fork in it, because NBC's soap Deception is cooked. Star Tate Donovan has already found other work — he'll play the male lead in the new CBS drama pilot Hostages. He'll play Toni Collette's husband in the series, which follows a surgeon who becomes part of a political conspiracy when she operates on the U.S. President and her family is taken hostage. [The Hollywood Reporter]
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Pure Genius: Steve Zahn will play one half of a team of uniquely talented brothers who use human behavior and psychology to solve their clients' problems in the ABC drama pilot Influence. Zahn's Clark is a bipolar genius and expert in the human behavior and psychology field who lost his professor job when his affair with an undergraduate was exposed, while his brother is a slick ex-con. [Deadline]
Pena's on The List: End of Watch star Michael Pena is solemnly swearing to uphold the law in yet another role, this time as a U.S. Marshal leading the hunt for a person who stole a list of the identities of every person in the Federal Witness Security Program and started offing them one by one. (Hence the title The List.) [THR]
Graynor is the New Diaz: The hilarious, underrated Ari Graynor has landed herself the starring role in CBS' Bad Teacher, a half-hour comedy based on the movie of the same name. Graynor will take over the titular role, a former trophy wife who turns into the husband-hunting, wildly inappropriate educator after her husband divorces her and leaves her penniless. Cameron Diaz played the teacher in the 2011 movie. [THR]
So Fetch: Remember when Tim Meadows played the principal in the seminal 2004 comedy Mean Girls? Get ready to relive that awesomeness on a weekly basis — the SNL vet has booked a role in the Fox comedy pilot The Gabriels as a straight-laced middle school principal. The comedy stars Rob Riggle as the patriarch of an introverted Wisconsin family living in a community of over-sharers. [TVLine]
Double Vision: Jason Lee is getting dramatic in the new CBS drama Second Sight. He'll star as a New Orleans detective who suffers from hallucinations thanks to a rare disease. Sounds problematic, but don't worry — it's a good thing, because the hallucinations help him solve crime. Naturally. [THR]
Follow Jean on Twitter @hijean
[PHOTO CREDIT: WENN]
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“I hate that guy.” That’s what you’re bound to think first upon hearing that Chris Brown has announced a new album — if you reside in the camp that believes Chris Brown is a deplorable human, that is. It’s not his music that targets your animosity — not specifically, anyway. But him. You hate Chris Brown. And whatever you think of harmonic dexterity, you’re not willing to give the Fortune follow-up, which MTV reveals will be available later this year, a second thought. It doesn’t matter if his music is any good — you’re just not on board with him as a human being. Therefore, you have no room in your life for his art.
And while we’re hardly making this claim in the interest of attracting an audience to Brown’s next array of trash compactor sounds set to lyrics about lounge bathrooms, we can't help but wonder: should we try to take an ubiased look at Brown’s music before we cast it out? Or are we right to boycott all output from the artist based solely on the vicious act of violence he imparted upon his girlfriend Rihanna in 2009? Is this distinction — between the individual and his or her work — one that needs to be made?
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George Washington owned slaves and dabbled in drugs. Albert Einstein treated his wife like a servant and neglected his illegitimate daughter. Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, was vehemently in favor of detention camps for Japanese Americans. But we’re perfectly fine with glossing over all that.
We’re well aware of the transgressions of figures like those listed above — men whose toils resulted in the likes of modern democracy and Hop on Pop. We know that behind many historical triumphs there live imperfect characters, riddled with corruption, cruelty, and intolerance. But instead of honing in on personal maladies, we’re inclined to keep our eyes on the achievements in government, science, and the arts. At least when it comes to dead people.
Separating the individual from the work is none too prevalent a practice when it comes to contemporary figures. While the contributions of Washington and Einstein live on with vigor long past the expiration of these men (and their indiscretions) the public icons of today do not have the same kind of statute of limitations working in their favor. And as privacy is a luxury so few know in this day and age, we experience the influence of personal wrongdoings tenfold.
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We oust political figures from office over ordeals of sexual deviancy and blacklist actors for racial epithets. We can’t watch a Mel Gibson movie without recalling his infamous anti-Semitic rant or a Tom Cruise flick without braving thoughts of the allegations of psychological abuse with which his name has been associated — as such, many of us will abstain from watching altogether. But are Tom Cruise and his movies one and the same? Is there harm in shirking an artist’s work due entirely to the artist’s off-screen character?
Taking, for a moment, the quality of Brown's music out of the equation, it is the very idea of this alienation that conjures concerns. As expressed via the above examples, valuable achievements can come from objectionable sources: Washington, Einstein, Seuss. Roman Polanski, guilty of child molestation, is responsible for a number of cinematic masterpieces. Oscar Scott Card, an outspoken homophobe, created the popular science-fiction tome Ender’s Game. Ray Charles, an adulterous heroin addict, forever changed the genres of blues, jazz, and rock and roll.
The question is an especially biting one when it comes to the music industry. More than a piece of film, television, or even literature, a song seems to be inherently connected to the essence of its creator. When you’re listening to a Chris Brown song, you feel like you’re listening to — and as such connecting with, communicating with, supporting — Chris Brown.
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In Brown's case, the issue is greeted with even more jaw-clenching fury, however, because Brown doesn’t seem at all interested in separating himself from his work. Antics like announcing his new album just a day prior to girlfriend Rihanna’s 25th birthday exhibit a willingness to associate his work with his personal affairs. Brown constantly sells himself (and his music) under a label of rehabilitation, with a misguided Rihanna’s vigorously enabling his efforts. Brown seems satisfied with who he is, and, furthermore, with his listeners connecting to that very character. And what’s scary is, many of them seem to. A slew of legitimately terrifying messages hit the Internet in the wake of Brown’s crime, with fans of the singer/songwriter excusing his actions based on their affinity for his music and good looks.
Justin Bieber, a contemporary of Brown’s, rules in favor of judging Brown’s actions separately from his music. “Chris Brown. I’m a fan,” Bieber said, as reported by Hollywood Life. “His music is really good. That’s what they should focus on: his music.”
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The real meat of the debate asks whether support for Brown’s music entails support for his actions. Is any sort of propagation of his validity, as an artist, some form of a free pass for the disgusting act of abuse for which he is responsible? Even if we can distance our own judgments of Brown when considering his music, will said consideration be taken into account by the observers — society, and Brown himself?
Plain and simple, we’re not sure. With passion for artistic expression resting steadily in our hearts, we want to say that an individual’s personal life and his or her creations should be distinct entities. We grant this favor when watching Chinatown or reading Ender’s Game. We’ll even enjoy Mad Max on a rainy day. But not without a sheath of guilt — while their crafts might warrant merit, we don’t want to support the people who inspire this debate. We don’t want to put another dollar into the pockets of the men and women who propagate ideas we detest or enact deeds we can’t even stomach. We want to be able to look at a piece of art for what it is, not for who made it. But we might never be able to do so objectively and shamelessly.
But we’re in luck here, friends — because at the end of the day, Chris Brown is also a pretty crappy musician. Ergo, we don’t have to worry about liking any part of him. Problem solved.
[Photo Credit: Jeff Fusco/Getty Images]
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Sean Lowe's journey as The Bachelor is coming to a close. On Tuesday night, Sean sat down with host Chris Harrison to discuss the girls he sent home in tears throughout the season and to talk about the remaining episodes (which will feature the fantasy dates and finale rose).
But as the end approaches, there are still a ton of questions that need to be answered. Who will Sean end up with, if anyone at all? Who else will go home with a broken heart? And who will be the next Bachelorette? (Because if the trajectory of casting this franchise has taught us anything, she’ll be in this bunch of disappointed women.) Hollywood.com's resident Bachelor blogger, Arie Luyendyk Jr., predicts the outcome of the season and shares a bit of sensible advice for Sean to follow once the season is over.
Who is “the One” for Sean?
Arie thinks that AshLee is the leader in this Bachelor pack. "If I had to guess anyone right now, I would say AshLee," he says. "She just seems like she is the most invested in him. And their time together [during] the hometown dates went really well with AshLee's father."
"The difficult part is that Sean is very hard to read," Arie says. "So when watching the show, it's very hard for me to tell who he's into — but I can easily see which girls are emotionally invested. AshLee seems like she is the most in love with Sean."
RELATED: Arie's Blog: Picking The Next 'Bachelorette'
The Next Bachelorette
But if AshLee doesn't win Sean's heart in the end, she will definitely make a strong candidate for The Bachelorette. "She's very open and ready," Arie says. "You can tell that she wants to be married. She's a little bit more mature. She's a little older, so she has experienced a lot in her life. You can tell that she's just ready to be in that place in her life."
According to Arie, AshLee has the characteristics needed to take on the leading role. "She's a beautiful girl," Arie says. "[The Bachelorette producers] just look for somebody who believes in the experience, and she's very open."
AshLee's tough childhood and her story of going through the adoption process also appeal to Americans who watch The Bachelorette. "I root for her just because she has had a tough background," Arie says. "So it just makes me want to see her happy, and I think that other people would as well. She'd be a good fit because of what she's been through."
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Is Bachelor Pad in Anyone’s Future?
While AshLee may be fit to hold the title of Bachelorette, it would be more appropriate to cast some contestants from Sean's season on Bachelor Pad. "Obviously from this season, Tierra would be the most entertaining," Arie says. "I'm trying to think of bold personalities in the show — Tierra stole the spotlight the whole time." But a recent development in Tierra’s love life may prevent her from appearing on the show. "She's engaged, so I don't know if that would work," Arie says.
Arie suggests that Lesley M. might be a good choice if Tierra can't do it. "It would be cool to see Lesley again just because we didn't get to see enough of her," he says. "She is such a good kisser — and then we could watch kiss some more! That would be cool."
Would Arie be willing to test out Lesley M.’s kissing skills on Bachelor Pad? "I don't think I would go on Bachelor Pad," he says.
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Some Advice for Sean
As Sean's finale grows nearer, Arie shares some advice for handling the upcoming days if he is in fact engaged. "The best thing they can do as far as when the show wraps is to take a nice long vacation and try to limit the amount of media they do," he says. "For example, my family has a house in Europe. I would just leave and go to Europe for a little bit and just hide out. The best thing [Sean] can do after the show is to go away with [the woman he chooses] and try to get away from all the attention for a little until their relationship is solid enough for all of that. I would say just take a really long vacation and spend time with each other."
"Everyone has a good chance to make it work," Arie adds. "They just have to work hard at it."
Follow Lindsey on Twitter @LDiMat.
[Photo Credit: Voorhees Studios]
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